1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a bag for carrying elongated articles and, in particular, to a golf bag designed to permit the bag to be worn by a user while operating a vehicle such as a motorcycle, a bicycle or the like. For convenience, the present invention will described in connection with a motorcycle.
2. Description of the Related Art
The game of golf has experienced an unprecedented increase in the number of men and women who have taken up the sport as a recreational activity. With the increased interest in golf, numerous improvements in the devices used for holding and carrying golf clubs have been developed. However, the improvements in golf bags, which are designed to be carried, are primarily directed to arrangements for making the bag self-standing and to the strap design.
Due to the fact the golf bags are usually designed to be carried across a golfers back or in a vertical orientation with a double shoulder strap arrangement, the known bags are difficult or impossible to transport while the wearer is operating a two wheeled vehicle or any other mode of transportation in which the wearer straddles the seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,473 discloses a golf bag having a dual shoulder support system which enables the container body to be carried in a stabilized vertical orientation. With the arrangement disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,473, the weight of the golf bag is evenly distributed on the user's shoulders, however the bag could not be carried in this orientation while operating a motorcycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,205 discloses another golf club carry bag having a dual shoulder strap arrangement for supporting a bag body across the back of the user. This golf bag could be worn while operating a motorcycle, however, transporting the bag in this position would create an unacceptably dangerous situation because the weight of the bag will cause an imbalance due to the tendency of the bag to shift and create moment forces about the motorcycle operator. Also, the mere fact that a lower end of the bag would extend laterally outwardly from one side of the motorcycle would pose a significant danger.
Therefore, a need exists to develop a golf bag which will allow the loaded bag to be safely and comfortably worn while operating a motorcycle.